Issue Archive

A new technique verifies and identifies a person based on features drawn from electrocardiographic (ECG) leads. It can identify a person from a group of known subjects, or verify a person to allow access to a secure facility or access to Internet control of computers, airplanes, weapons, and alarms. It uses the ECG signals generated by the heart during contraction and relaxation that are characteristic to an individual. The method can be used by homeland security personnel and law enforcement, and in airports and other high-security locations. Find out more HERE.

Robonaut 2, NASA’s first humanoid robot in space, was selected as the NASA Government Invention of the Year for 2014. The NASA selection committee evaluated the robot in the following areas: aerospace significance, industry significance, humanitarian significance, technology readiness level, NASA use, industry use, and creativity.

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian Cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko have begun a one-year mission in space. The mission will help researchers better understand how the human body reacts and adapts to long-duration spaceflight. While on the ISS, Kelly’s identical twin brother, retired NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, will undergo comparative genetic studies. Differences, or lack thereof, between the Kelly brothers after Scott’s year in space and Mark’s year on Earth could shed new light on the effects of spaceflight on the human body.

By detecting nearly imperceptible changes in skin color, emerging imaging technologies have been able to extract pulse rate, breathing rate, and other vital signs from a person facing a camera. The videography tools have struggled, however, to compensate for low light conditions, dark skin tones, and movement.

HDRI features capture details when the environment, or the objects themselves, are both bright and dark.
Designers and operators of automated inspection systems have long been challenged with completing accurate inspections when those tasks required high dynamic range, or when there was a need to capture critical details in objects or environments with high contrast between their brightest and darkest areas.

In a propellant fire, large molten aluminum drops form at the burning surface. The drops are lofted into the environment and can severely damage anything that they fall on. Liquid breakup must be understood to predict the scale and intensity of such fires.

On March 11, NASA tested the powerful five-segment booster for NASA’s new rocket, the Space Launch System. To provide critical data for the rocket’s first flight, eight cameras with more than 40 different settings — including varying exposures — were set up near the forward portion of the booster. During the two-minute test, the cameras were computer-controlled and cycled through pre-programmed settings.

Question of the Week

This week's Question: A recent study created by the Arizona-based Paragon Space Development Corporation says its life support system could help humans survive on Mars. The proposed Environmental Control and Life Support System, the company says,...